"Better candidates, better arguments"

— From NBC's Elizabeth WilnerAfter Vice President Dick Cheney told Rush Limbaugh yesterday that his party will keep control of the Senate and has "a good shot" at keeping control of the House, White House spokesman Tony Snow was asked today if there's been any change in the White House's confidence about the election outcome. Snow replied: "We're confident we're going to hold the House because we think we have better candidates and better arguments. And in the last two weeks of a campaign people focus on that. And the President is going to make it clear to Republicans that he not only thinks they're going to win, he's going to help them win." That said, Snow also told White House reporters last week that by late this week, Bush would be doing lots of public events with candidates. When asked about that today in light of tonight's closed-press fundraiser, he demurred.